Chapter Editing : gargnandi 

From school through the junior college and then the Bachelors people had seen a completely different Divya at each successive point. Divya who was back in school and during her junior college had come to an understanding that she could never be proud of her. Not because she didn't have any achievements rather that Divya was a coward, someone who loved to be pitied and get people's attention, appreciation at every minute thing.

And this person, Divya, looked at her shadow in the shady window panes of the local trains, it wasn't clear but she was proud of the person who looked back at her now. Long gone was the girl who waited for someone to push her ahead to do something, this girl knew what she wanted, if not planned and though spontaneous she was sure if she wanted it then she would get it.

Things had been quite surprising for Divya, she had never thought that she would actually land herself in this college, for her the targets were Delhi University or maybe Symbiosis, she might have even done it but odds had never been similar. When she came here she had never thought that she would meet the kind of people that she met here.

They made her an experienced girl, teaching her how to speak with people, the more friends that she made she realized how inappropriate it was to judge people, yet knowing very well how and in what quantity it was to be let out about yourself to the others, how was it to market yourself in front of others...surely boasting wasn't a thing but you have to act smart if ever you didn't had the brains. It was difficult, she could easily remember the ways and times that she had found herself getting tired, exhausted from all the games... frustrated to know that many such people existed in the world who would have nothing to do with you yet were ready to bring you down.

As Divya walked through the narrowed lane of her college towards the entrance, she was astonished to see the world in a completely different light. People smiled at her, the ones who hardly spared her a glance were now coming ahead and congratulating her...a small notice, a position in the college had suddenly made her a known face overnight. As much as she hated this, she couldn't help but think how many of them would have actually visited her almost dead instagram and facebook account. An involuntary snicker left her lips as the possibility of them failing to access her private instagram account and the numerous links that were currently filled on her facebook of her books and of that of the posts from college committees would have welcomed the visitors.

Retrieving the id card from her bag, Divya walked up the stairs and made her way towards the library, she didn't want to be surrounded with people at that moment, nor was she in any mood to socialize as such...she needed a distraction from whatever that she was feeling now. It made her wonder if it was possible to be this nervous and agitated.

She realized she was scared to go back in the class and be treated differently by her friends. She would never be able to be herself if they ever turned into the sweet talkers that she had been across throughout that day.

Entering the library the cool air engulfed her as she breathed it in...it already felt relaxing to be here and thankfully not many were around there. As she made her way towards one of the cupboards she scanned through the books and then fetched for one of the peons and asked them to retrieve the book. Settling down in the most secluded area of the library, she let her eyes wonder around for a minute and then opened the book and began reading.

"I knew you would be here." The sudden whispered voice in her ears made her jump in her own skin, Her eyes wide as saucers as she looked up and came face to face with a smiling Nandini.

"You scared me."

"I am glad you got scared, why were you not picking up my calls? I have been calling you for an hour now." Divya quickly gilded her hands into her jeans pockets and fetched her phone which she had kept on silent purposely so that Nandini wouldn't let her know that she had reached college and was ready to go for lectures or for any one to call her and disturb her. She just wanted to be left alone, and at the same time she wanted to be with someone, someone who could just listen to her rant out about God knew what and to empathize with her and tell her that everything would be just alright.

"My phone was on silent... Why had you called? Did you need me for something?" Divya asked.

"Is it necessary that if I have some work only then I would call you? Well I was in college and you hadn't called me so I wanted to know if you were here and that if you wanted to have lunch with us we were going to kalam for lunch."

At the mention of food Divya realized she was actually hungry. With a lopsided grin she said, "Thank you Nandu I am actually hungry... by the way, who all are coming?"

"I was expecting Simran and Natasha but they went for a lecture, so right now it's Aman and Madhav, now don't back out please... even they don't know that you are coming...please please please???"

"You are a bitch, you didn't want to have lunch alone with them that's why I got these calls and a visit... chutiya aurat" as the two smiled, Divya picked up her bag, submitted the book back at the counter and took her ID card as the two made her way out.

"I am just not in the mood to handle their kind of drama this afternoon, with you they might just tone it down I guess and I might as well have a company."

"I can agree with you for the company thing, but toning down, I hardly doubt that." Divya adjusted her bag as Nandini waved at someone and let out a laugh. "Well actually you know what...true that!"

Though the two agreed on something that wasn't really vital, however Divya couldn't comprehend how she was going to make it through this lunch. Aman was a complete different story, they had known each other since first year, and somewhere he was one of the first people with whom she was quite comfortable with, they had a completely different understanding. Being the activity CRs of their course, they had found themselves on the same page many times. Be it Divya reprimanding him for his smoking and drinking habits and him teasing her for being so serious and tough all the time. They have had their own share of mischief until Divya got busy in other committees and he became the vice president of their most celebrated college fest.

"I am telling you if this becomes awkward even for a minute I am leaving." Divya warned as she took a deep breath and adjusted her bag straps.

"Chill it's just Aman, and as much as Madhav is concerned you will handle him just well. Relax."

The scene at kalam however was completely different. It wasn't just Aman and Madhav, rather there were Dev, Rishi, Atharva and one more girl whom she didn't know nor recognized.

This is a disaster. Divya thought.

If it had been any other day she would have actually addressed this being an extrovert and mingling with unknown people or with people in general quite very well, but right now, or for that matter today she was nowhere in the mood. She regretted even coming to the college in the first place, she should have taken up and listened to her gut feeling and went ahead with staying back at home.

Nandini went and took up a table and sat down. The shack was pretty packed but she was glad these people were already here and had as well managed to get a table for themselves. With a deep breath and decided to finally go ahead with it, Divya pulled a table for herself and sat right in front of Madhav who gave her a small smile and went back to what he had been doing in his phone.

She didn't belong here. Her subconscious mind reminded her as she fiddled with her fingers. Her mind then went off to wondering what she was actually doing here, but even before she could answer that to herself, her eyes went up to where Aman and Rishi stood lighting up a cigarette for each other. The unlit bud took up the fire and sparkled a bit as Aman and Rishi both took a drag and then let it go deep into their lungs and blew out making circles in the air with the smoke.

The sight made her shiver. It scared her the way they were enjoying it. The scene giving her the flashbacks of the time she had very well hidden behind. She watched as Aman then handed the cigarette to Madhav who looked up at her as she observed his moves, as he repeated the same steps like that of the others and blew out the air... however unlike Aman and Rishi he blew it up, sending the smoke backwards but she could still smell the toxic smell and inhale the smoke as it made her cough a bit.

"Ohh Divya, Ms. Vice president finally you are here... we were waiting for you to order." Aman said as he took his place right beside Madhav who handed him the cigarette back.

Divya kept on looking from Aman to Madhav and then to Nandini who was enjoying the show with delighted eyes. It made her wonder what was so delightful and exciting to watch two idiots smoke...she could never understand that.

"Don't make that face, this is my first of the day." Aman clarified; seemingly there might have been that weird look that she felt as she observed the two. And now that it was recognized, understood and addressed she didn't want to refrain from complaining.

"But the question is why even the first when you know its harmful"

"Aree you don't know but it's very blissful... like you know attaining nirvana, why don't you try it once then you will get it." Aman joked as he offered her the cigarette.

"Aman seriously Nirvana, I am sure you can attain that nirvana in various other ways and trust me with this you are surely going to lose your stamina to fail at one of the methods." The rest of the audiences began laughing as they understood the underline meaning of the words.

"No with proper exercise and if you maintain your body you can build in your stamina again... it won't affect much." She heard Madhav saying as he kept his phone back in his pocket.

"Really? Exercising and maintaining your body? At the speed of which he goes, both he and I know this surely isn't his first of the day that would have been hours back ...maybe 10 in the morning or 11? And please no matter how much you exercise and maintain that body of yours the damage that this tobacco is doing won't be corrected...any which ways shall we order now? I am in no mood to give this lecture again, especially to the ones who don't understand."

"Areeey Divya listen I understand you are worried but trust me I am fine and nothing will happen to me. I promise." Aman and Divya shared a look that none of them sitting over there could comprehend.

The two knew what they were talking about, he knew what she was worried about, and it was him... only him out there who understood what made her agitated. Aman knew the words each one of them were for none other than him, it didn't bothered to her what others did, she didn't knew them much...but she knew him and he as well knew the day when she would be close to anyone seating here, she won't back out from giving a piece of mind to them as well.

He had been there and seen that.

He gave his brightest smile and took yet another drag and passed it to Madhav who as well took a drag, Divya could see his eyes were on her, observing her every moment. His presence and the look made her feel uncomfortable. There had been talks around the college. And all indicated one shouldn't be seen as an interesting candidate in front of Madhav. If you ever are found one, then you would have his complete attention. The motto of his life would be then to test your patience, to know your east west north south each and everything.

However as much as it had scared her and made him be a very negative profile in the eyes of many...such that not a single person in the college would talk good about him other than his friends, Divya preferred to have a firsthand experience than listening to the stories and gossips and the rumors.

And yet she felt scared, scared of being judged by him, for not getting a chance to make a favorable image... one that she really was. But then in those few minutes she as well pondered on how the little moments that she had been there were the most real. Nothing pretentious. Not that she ever pretended to be someone that she never was but still it made her wonder what was it that made him stare and study her the way he was doing.

Averting her eyes from him, Divya called out the waiter as the three gave their respective orders and were soon joined in by Atharva and Dev as Rishi decided it was better he would study for his CAT. At the mention of the exams her thoughts went back to yet another thing to worry about. It will be just a few more months and this all will be over.

Somewhere though Divya was glad. She didn't have much to miss out here at college, though she would surely miss these events and the adrenaline that it gave and as well as the small little protected world that they had but other than that what was there as such to miss around and feel sorry for. She was never attached to these people the way many had been with their friends, she didn't know why she had ever kept that distance.

But she remembered well. The times when Nandini or Aman would text her asking if she wanted to come for a trip or to hang out and how wonderfully she would back out on those things. They were her kind of enjoyment, however she was scared just yet to let people into her life, close enough to be her best friends and hang around with.

"So Ms. Vice president, how does it feel to have the whole college in your hand now?" Aman asked as they all got settled, the cigarette long gone. Divya watched each one of them as she made a face. She didn't really want to talk about this. It was just the first day and she was yet to have a meeting with her team. The president though was nice, she wasn't sure...at least not at this moment on how things were going to be after all.

"Not bad, I guess things would fall under the table as time goes by." She however replied.

"But I think your face has to say something else." Madhav interjected.

"I am sure it does, because I am Divya and no Ms. Vice president. Any which ways, tell me are you guys going to join in as members?"

"Nah, I have already got other things to work on. Rather you tell me there is this research competition coming in want to team up?" Aman asked. The question lingered in the air as the waiter served them their order along with 2 Mountain dews and 3 cokes. The table was flooded with the aroma of food; they waited as one by one the waiter filled in their plates and then walked off as Aman instructed him to get a few fried noodles. She then observed as Madhav fussed over his plate of Dosa sambar and chatni, deep frowning lines stretched right across his face as he called out to the waiter and said

"How many times have I said that the sambar should be hot...please heat it up a bit." As the waiter left Atharva shook his head, disappointment and amusement quite edged on his face.

"I don't understand if you do not like the way he serves then why do you still insist on eating dosa here, we can go somewhere else or you can order something else for once."

"Dude his dosa is really nice, I like it...and if I can always get my order a bit customized here why go somewhere else?'

The whole table fell into a fit of laughter except for Divya who still tried to progress what the whole joke was all about.

"Areee Divya it's okay you don't have to think a lot about him...someday just ask him if he wants to go have something, you will get it." Dev explained as he separated the large chunks of cabbage from his noodles.

"And I guess today isn't the day." Dev nodded his head while the rest began laughing, and surprisingly Divya liked the way this lunch was turning into.

These , all of them seated over here weren't really her friends, acquaintances, batch mates may be... but never had she thought that she would actually be this comfortable with them. And what surprised her more was the way she took hold of the fork and the spoon and dug into the veg crispy who noone had bothered to serve themselves in their plate. Each of them were rather busy fighting with the forks for the larger chunks, some snatching away the pieces of Manchurian from the almost filled spoon and the loud yelling and calling for the waiter to get another bottle of coke and mountain dew.

Divya knew this was wild and so out of her behavior...but she liked it, she actually missed this kind of fun and for what she decided it would be a thought for another day, just like that of the research project that was now a long forgotten topic.

A/N

Hello everyone. 

Here is the next chapter. I hope you all like it. 

For next update...here is a glimpse of it. 

"Divya you have got such bad handwriting, how do you even manage to understand, and please improve your grammar." Madhav said right into her face and was gone. She looked around for him in the sea of people, but at the speed at which he had come downstairs, stood right in front of her and said it, at the same speed he had walked off leaving her quite baffled.

"What the hell was that?' Natasha asked, as Divya came back to her senses and began walking up the stairs.

"You know what, the moment I would understand that I would surely tell you. Right now let's go."

Until then, Please do vote, comment and share the story with your friends around. I would really like to know what you all think about this story and the characters. 

Happy Reading 

Yadni Bagwe